Retrofit boilers to reduce MOD’s energy consumption by 18%

Dynamic Burner Management Units (DBMUs) have been installed at more than 50 sites and are estimated to reduce boiler gas consumption by up to 18%.

Installed by business, construction and maintenance services provider Carillion Enterprise (C-E), the DBMU is based on a technology that optimises the firing pattern of the boiler to deliver consumption savings.

Data collected in December 2012 from units fitted to sample boilers across a number of MOD establishments, revealed gas savings of between 15% and 18%.

Carbon strategy manager at C-E, Ray Antonelli, said: “The MOD needs to dramatically reduce its carbon emissions and we are working hard to help them achieve this. Retrofitting boilers to operate more efficiently is already delivering significant energy savings with even more carbon reductions to come.”

This project comes as part of the MOD’s Spend to Save initiative that involves achieving significant reductions in the £1m a day bill on heating, lighting and powering the Defence estate.

In May, C-E engineers established a specialist control room that allows them to remotely manage energy use at 35 of the MOD highest energy consuming sites.

C-E estimates that the control room, known as an energy bureau, can save the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), which is responsible for MOD establishments, more than £3m over the next three years.

Leigh Stringer